Canvas Bell Tent Guide – Which Tent is Right for You?

For over 30 years, the Canvas Tent Shop have built a passionate reputation for offering the highest quality Bell Tents, in a variety of sizes, to suit the needs of lone campers, group explorers, families and larger groups, including the Scouts.

This guide sets out to help you choose which Bell Tent is right for you. Having been producing camping solutions for 3 generations, we’re here to help you understand the ins and outs of the tent choices available.

Our range of canvas bell tents consists of 6 main styles:

Our Bell Tents are:

Traditional in style – the Bushcraft is our original traditional flagship tent, alongside the Kokoon Deluxe which offers more modern features
Made to the highest quality
Fully waterproof, mould-proof and rot-proof
Tough and hardwearing, due to the cotton canvas we use.

The Kookon Deluxe and The Glade tents are made from 350GSM cotton canvas, while The Bushcraft boasts an impressive 450GSM (grams per square meter) canvas. weight This measurement indicates how heavy, thick and strong a fabric is, so the higher the GSM is, the stronger (and heavier) the canvas, so this is something to bear in mind when selecting which bell tent is right for you.

The Bushcraft and The Kokoon Deluxe models are based around a single main centre pole that supports the canvas and gives it its iconic look. The Glade is made in a slightly different style, which will be explored later in this guide.

Kokoon Deluxe Bell Tent

The premium Canvas Bell Tent, the Kokoon Deluxe, offers luxury at an affordable cost.

Already available in 3m, 4m and 5m sizes, we also offer a 6m version – sleeping 8 to 10 people, its ideal for larger camping groups or families.

Made from our 350GSM hardwearing cotton canvas, it’s waterproof and rot-proof – and for its size, finer touches and style, we believe this is the ultimate Bell Tent!

The Kokoon Deluxe offers:

The doorway is supported by the galvanised metal A-frame to give you easy access to the tent
A rain-cap is included, that fits onto the top of the A-frame to keep out rainfall
The door has a secondary zipped mosquito mesh inner layer – great for summer camping, fresh-air and keeping the bugs out
The PVC zipped-in groundsheet is 500GSM – perfect for insulating the floor and keeping the heat, it also creates a seal to the outside environment – one of its key safety features!
The 32mm-thick centre pole is galvanised, which stops the pole rusting
4 zipped mesh backed windows – that increase airflow through the tent, while letting light in

The guy ropes are made from reflective material, so they are visible at night. Even with the added A-frame, this luxury tent has been designed to be easily put up and dismantled.

14-inch stainless steel tent pegs are also included – great for keeping your tent in place during varying weather conditions, including snow and rainfall.

The Kokoon Deluxe is the best choice Bell Tent for larger camping or glamping groups, family camping or weekends away, due to how simple it is to erect and dismantle & the practicality of the zipped door.

For those camping for the first time as a family, this tent is highly recommended.

Bushcraft Bell Tent

Our Bushcraft Bell Tent is available in both 4m and 5m diameters and takes us back to the traditional style of Bell Tents. This is made from water-proof and rot-proof 450GSM heavyweight canvas. The sectional centre pole comes in two or 3 pieces and is made of strong hardwood, making it easy to transport.

In keeping with the traditional style, the groundsheet is made from 250GSM Polyethylene, which pegs into the hessian sod cloth that is sewn around the inside edge of the tent.

Sisal guy ropes and tent walls are held in place with the supplied 12” and 9” wooden pegs. The tent includes 3x mesh air vents to help increase airflow.

Our Bushcraft Bell Tent has no zips & features a Dutch laced fastening. This traditional style of door has always been a firm favourite with re-enactment groups, scout groups & in the film industry.

(As this tent does not have a zipped door or zipped in groundsheet, it is more suited to those who want a really traditional rustic camping experience & may not be the best option as a first tent for families)

Polycotton Bell Tents –

Perfect for small families with or groups of friends, our poly-cotton Bell Tents provide spacious and secure luxury camping with anti-mosquito protection.

Made from a sturdy 200GSM polycotton canvas, the polycotton Bell Tent includes a 540GSM PVC zipped-in groundsheet and is waterproof and rot-proof.

These tents include:

A-Frame door support
Four zipped mesh windows
Mosquito net doors with Zip-up mesh backing
zipped EHU access point

Camp in style on short weekends away or week-long breaks. Ideal for warm summer days, the sides of this canvas tent can roll up, allowing fresh air to circulate.

Our Polycotton Bell Tents can be assembled by a single person, sleep 4 to 6 people and include ultra-thick pegs and a zip fastening carry holdall. For added privacy, an optional Bell Tent inner can be purchased separately .

Bell Tent Lite

The Bell Tent Lite is the lightest weight tent in our range, with a 150D zipped-in Oxford groundsheet. At only 14.2kg in weight, the 4M version, its modern design makes it easy to transport and can be set-up within just 15 minutes. The 5M larger version offers additional living space and storage area.

Made from Oxford canvas, a synthetic man-made fabric, the Bell Tent Lite is fully waterproof, mould-proof, rot-proof and easy to keep clean.

This tent also includes a zipped electrical cable access point, ideal for use with phone chargers, sound systems, lighting and other equipment.

Created with price point , portability and durability in mind, this tent is perfect for family weekends, festivals and short breaks away, or as a safe-play enclosure and play area for children in the garden.

Provided with a carry holdall, it can be packed away with ease and will fit into all car boot spaces.

Glade Bell Tent

With 350GSM breathable, waterproof and rot-proof canvas, the innovatively designed Glade Bell Tents do not have a centre pole. An internal tripod frame supports the tent and creates more room. The 4m sized Glade tent offers ample space, sleeping up to four, while the 3m Glade bell tent can comfortably fit a double-bed for two.

The Glade Bell Tent also includes a 540GSM PVC waterproof zipped-in groundsheet, zipped mosquito mesh backing to the front door and four mesh zip-up windows to allow more airflow – a welcome feature during the hot summer months. Ideal for getaways, campsite touring & weekends away. The tent comes with poles, pegs & guy ropes ready to assemble, all you will need is a mallet.

We also now have the 3m Glade Lite. Made from the same 210D Oxford canvas, with a 150D zipped in oxford groundsheet as our Bell tent Lite range – This is the lightest weight & most portable tripod frame design at just 13 kg!

Roll-Up Sides on Canvas Bell Tents

A feature that is available with all of our Canvas Bell Tents is the ability for their sides to be rolled up.

Depending on the style of Bell Tent, this can be done by either un-pegging or un-zipping the groundsheet, then rolling up the canvas around the tent and holding the surplus in place with the fabric ties. Once done, this really opens the tent up, creates additional shelter and lets fresh air and the smells of nature in. It’s a feature that original Bell Tents were known for and at Canvas Tent Shop, we’re passionate about our customers experiencing camping at its best!

Winnerwell Stoves and Accessories

For those wishing to prepare food while camping in a Bell Tent, the ability to cook with a stove – either inside or outside the tent – is a necessity, especially when adventuring in nature as a family.

Stoves can be a great addition to a Bell Tent, in addition to cooking they will help to keep your tent warm on chilly days, or when you go on out-of-season camping trips. Check out our Winnerwell range of stoves and accessories – we are the exclusive UK distributor.

When a stove is used in a tent or shelter, safety is very important. The canvas is not fireproof, so a sewn-in fireproof chimney fitting with a correctly fitted flashing kit is a must. 4, 5 & 6m Kokoon Bell tents & 4 & 5m Bushcraft tents are available with a preinstalled chimney exit hole, alternatively, you can order one separately, to sew into a cotton canvas tent yourself. (** stoves cannot be used in Polycotton or Oxford canvas tents)

To keep your stove flue from coming into contact with your chimney fitting or tent, a flashing kit suitable for the brand of stove must be fitted.

For Winnerwell stoves, a triple wall heat protector chimney is also required :

Flashing Kit – this silicone collar clamps onto the tent fabric & forms a weatherproof cuff for the flue pipe at the exit point from the tent. These are designed to withstand temperatures of up to 300 degrees – available in standard & large sizes.
Triple Wall Chimneys – These are designed to fit through a Winnerwell Flashing kit to further reduce the amount of heat coming into contact with your tent – our range includes the 2.1”, 2.5” and the 3.5” sizes

We hope this guide helps to decide on the right Bell Tent for your camping trip. If you have any further questions regarding what you’ll need or would like further information about the tents or accessories we sell, please get in touch – we would love to hear from you!